Terrence Ross is a potential elite defender.

[who_better_than_me]

He was never this good in Houston, his PER is over 20 for the first time in his career. If he regresses back to the player he was in Houston, which is a career PER of 16, you're going to be fukked.

His numbers are up because it's a contract year

And the move I would have made would have been to trade him earlier in the season, they would have been in the lottery and sucked without a PG. Basically, you're putting all your eggs in Lowry's basket, you're committed to him now.

Man, ur wrong on this one. Stats are one thing but Lowry best season was the 10-11 and he's doing it again this year. He's been more than solid for almost half a decade now. Ur lookin at the stats when u make that statement but Lowry been of the better pg's in the league. Only reason his number look better is becaus of the team around him. You know this.


The raptors don't have all the solutions but they are addressing them and their needs and getting better every year. Surely that's better then half a decade of 20 win teams.


I hate OKC becaus they're the supposed model( and they done a spectacular job, Presti is a genius) when in reality they're closer to the exception or abberation. Why havent Cleveland, sactown, Charlotte, even Detroit been able to do the damn thing. They had multiple lottery picks. Really there's only one OKC,maybe two a decade. Last decade was OKC(maybe Cleveland but it was a failure in the end) and the decade before that it was SA.

And u bring up Keeping Thad going but he wasn't the unanimous best of the bunch including him Hawes and et, and we know he won't be there long term.

 

[trick]

The difference between the 06-07 team and this team is that this is a team filled with young players still improving, whereas the 06-07 team had many veterans. Believe in Masai, breh.

I will give you that, but please don't sell me the story that this is a team that has the ability to become a serious title contender with this current core. There is a clear ceiling with this team and like @Malta said, as of now this is a middle of the road team. The only way this is going to change is we end up signing some elite players at the end of 2015-16.

 

[Malta]

Man, ur wrong on this one. Stats are one thing but Lowry best season was the 10-11 and he's doing it again this year. He's been more than solid for almost half a decade now. Ur lookin at the stats when u make that statement but Lowry been of the better pg's in the league. Only reason his number look better is becaus of the team around him. You know this.

His PER averaged out to 16 with the Rockets, it's currently 20 this season with the Raps. That is the difference between a good player and an all-star, if he regresses even in the slightest bit back to what he was they will be assed out especially if teams in the East improve. He's turning 28, and he will likely want a 4 year 40 million deal and honestly that's too much for him, the PG position is loaded and locking into a guy 2 years away from 30 would be idiotic.

The raptors don't have all the solutions but they are addressing them and their needs and getting better every year. Surely that's better then half a decade of 20 win teams.

The problem is they are doing this at a time when the East is very bad, and teams are obviously tanking. This would be like knocking out a string of journeymen boxers, then thinking you got it all figured out.

I hate OKC becaus they're the supposed model( and they done a spectacular job, Presti is a genius) when in reality they're closer to the exception or abberation. Why havent Cleveland, sactown, Charlotte, even Detroit been able to do the damn thing. They had multiple lottery picks. Really there's only one OKC,maybe two a decade. Last decade was OKC(maybe Cleveland but it was a failure in the end) and the decade before that it was SA.

And u bring up Keeping Thad going but he wasn't the unanimous best of the bunch including him Hawes and et, and we know he won't be there long term.

Cleveland wanted to make the playoffs this season, that is where they went wrong. And since when did Detroit try to tank it? Dumars constantly tried to make the playoffs but fell short, his saving grace is that he was able to find gems outside of the top 5. You yourself can see the blueprint the Magic have and their moves have been sound.

Thad was the best of the bunch, and they will probably move him at the draft.

 

[Propaganda]

i think some of these dudes are just excited to see the raps playing (relatively) well, so they can't see the forest through the trees. we're still set up to be a treadmill team, like we have been for YEARS. the difference is, instead of being a terrible one, we're good enough to make the playoffs this year.

 

[DANKTHRONE]

Lowry's insane outlier year kind of fukked over the raps unfortunately. like dude is like 5th in WS/48 and already has more win shares than any other season of his career and theres still 20 games or so left. He's 27 years old this is as good as he'll ever be in all likelihood. Hope they just let him walk.

 

[who_better_than_me]

Lowry game int predicated on athleticism or flashiness . Dude will be very good for a couple more year and last 30 as long as his team co to he to surround him with talent. This is the most talents team he's ever had.

I don't know why dudes are so shocked he's putting up number(real numbers) on a team that that's competing.
Lowry background makes me think he won't cash it in when he gets paid. One of the tough scrappy Villanova guards who just compete.he just outcompetes his opponents. Too much heart.

Just hate how ppl underrate him.

 

[Maschine_Man]

It depends on whether Embiid and Parker come out, if both come out then you have Exum, Embiid, Parker and Wiggins with much higher ceilings than anyone on the Raps. And of course there will be 1 or 2 guys that come out of nowhere and end up better pros than they were college players.





Breh, I love Toronto, you don't need to sell me on it. The taxes are killer for NBA players, and dudes aren't passing up ATL or Chocolate city for Toronto.

Sure he's in NY and can't do anything, but you drop Melo onto that roster in Chicago and they become the 2nd best team in the East.

and this is where reality kicks in, cuz chicago don't have any money to sign him.

the salary cap is tricky. this is honestly why we hardly EVER see any top talent move teams...it happens but its not like superstars are moving all the time.

I'm not gonna hold my breath on the draft though, cuz sure those guys might have high ceilings, and may have all the potential in the world, but as we have seen over and over before, it doesn't mean ANYTHING until you play.

now, with that being said, I'd love to have any one of those guys on this team. but at what cost? you can't just toss away a core of young players for one potential stud.
and thats what I saw most raps fans were talking about

Trade Lowry, demar and val or ross..tank and get a top pick.

but really?

to have a potential stud play beside who? and for what? to be in a cleveland situation?


I'd rather be like Clippers or rockets right now, 3-4 seed, maybe try to steal around vs a top seed with a lucky break. than a lottery team continually developing star players just for them to develop and leave, or just be good enough to be a 7-8 seed

we've BEEN there, and we've SEEN it with other teams(Was, Cle, Cha,Etc)

 

[Maschine_Man]

So, basically you're completely oblivious to all the dudes in the past posting career numbers during contract years, only to regress back to what they were prior. You don't see Trevor Ariza balling out of control in Washington do you, that isn't attributed to maturity or getting better, dude wants to get paid one last time.


I would have traded Lowry for just about anything just to avoid the inevitable, which is him asking for Ty Lawson money, while being 3-4 years older than when Ty signed his deal. Late first rounder and a young prospect You're overvaluing him, and like I said, they are going to be committed to keeping him now so enjoy it now before he comes back to earth next season.

WHAT??no I get contract years, but I also get that Lowry isn't playing that far out of his regular play.

based on his houston days, he's just showing steady progress from that. its not an anomaly type year for him where it comes out of the norm.

feel me?

Lowry is better than a late first rounder, and what young prospect?

who is making these deals? there are two sides to everything, but you haven't showed how that could be realistic.

 

[really]

:dafug: he is having the best season of his career.

MAN... they need ban editing this fukkin smiley.... LMAO....... yall fukkin nikkas retarded

 

[CantStop]

@Malta no point anymore. When the raps are a first round exit, we can make multiple told you so threads. These dudes actually think Derozan Ross and Val are a future championship core

 

[Maschine_Man]

i think some of these dudes are just excited to see the raps playing (relatively) well, so they can't see the forest through the trees. we're still set up to be a treadmill team, like we have been for YEARS. the difference is, instead of being a terrible one, we're good enough to make the playoffs this year.

but what is the realistic alternative??

any team not Miami, Indy, and maybe a few out west would all be considered treadmill teams

I would rather CONSISTENTLY be a playoff team, then tank, rebuild, HOPEFULLY compete, rinse and repeat

nobody seems to have any solutions, just complaining. so until someone can come up with a realistic alternative then stop with the "criticism"

 

[Maschine_Man]

@Malta no point anymore. When the raps are a first round exit, we can make multiple told you so threads. These dudes actually think Derozan Ross and Val are a future championship core

so instead of being a smart ass, what moves would YOU make then?

 

[CantStop]

so instead of being a smart ass, what moves would YOU make then?

Masai said he was gonna evaluate the roster when he got signed. He should have seen that this roster is not that good from the start, they are 3rd in the East because they haven't suffered any major injuries and the East is weak. He should have traded Lowry from early on unless you want to sign him to 8-10 mill a year for 4 years. Raptors don't have that franchise player for them to every do anything. Should have done a full rebuild like the Sixers. When they get ousted in the first round by the Wizards or Nets, you'll see why they should have done it.

 

[Maschine_Man]

Masai said he was gonna evaluate the roster when he got signed. He should have seen that this roster is not that good from the start, they are 3rd in the East because they haven't suffered any major injuries and the East is weak. He should have traded Lowry from early on unless you want to sign him to 8-10 mill a year for 4 years. Raptors don't have that franchise player for them to every do anything. Should have done a full rebuild like the Sixers. When they get ousted in the first round by the Wizards or Nets, you'll see why they should have done it.

if the east is so weak then its weak for everyone else too, yet the raps are still ahead of every other team

why is that? maybe they aren't as bad as most ppl say they are.



also, you have yet to give any solutions....if you were a gm what would you have done? or do?

 

[CantStop]

if the east is so weak then its weak for everyone else too, yet the raps are still ahead of every other team

why is that? maybe they aren't as bad as most ppl say they are.



also, you have yet to give any solutions....if you were a gm what would you have done? or do?

1) Bulls lost D.Rose and are one game behind the Raptors

2) Nets lost their best player in Brook Lopez

3) 4 teams in the East(Milwaukee, Orlando, Philly and Boston) are deliberately tanking.

If I was the GM, Lowry would have been gone. Derozan would have been gone. A full rebuild. Unless you think a player like Derozan who has no moves(which is why he gets shut down everytime they go iso with him in the clutch) can carry this team.

Raptors needed an Embiid, Wiggins, Parker or Exum type player.